Heavenly Innocence p2: Heavenly Delusions
by CJ
Summary: What is real? Who can you trust? When will the Matrix fad finally go away?


Heavenly Innocence (part two): Heavenly Delusions 

Okay, maybe I should explain myself. Some of you thought my last story was sick. It wasn't supposed to be. It was the opening for this. I am sorry... for any disturbances... 

*** Marco *** 

'NOOOOOO!!!' I yelled, and that triggered it, the change. I woke up, cold sweat making the bedsheets stick to my skin, and trembling. I was in a sitting position, but I couldn't remember how I sat up. 

I heard a click, and a beam of light shone through my door. My Dad came into the room, wearing his pyjamas and holding a mug of cocoa in his hand. He turned my light on, and both of us blinked at the brightness. 

'Nightmares again Marco?' He asked, voice soft. 

I nodded glumly and he sighed. I don't know what it was, possibly the light or the strain, but he seemed so old. So old and weak and fragile. 

'Come on. Lets have some cocoa together.' 

I got out of bed, trying not to show my trembling, and maybe he saw it or maybe he didn't. We went into the kitchen, and I sat on a stool while he made me a cocoa. 

It was a good cocoa, rich and chocolaty. Like Mum used to make...I shook my head slightly. Mum would never make me a cocoa again. I took a sip, and it warmed me up no amounts. Clutching the mug in my hands, I looked at my Dad and smiled sadly. 

'Thanks Dad. I didn't wake you up, did I?' 

'It's all right. I was up. Couldn't sleep.' He chuckled. 'To tell the truth I thought we were going to get a big storm, but it must fizzed out. Now.' He added, losing his joyful tone. 'What did you dream about tonight?' 

I bit my lip. He had said tonight, not again. But what could I tell him? I wasn't that sure myself what I had dreamed. I remembered spinning colours, largely red and black, and a few people... no... faces... I didn't know who though. 

'Can't remember?' 

I nodded again and took another sip of that inviting cocoa. 

'Are you sure you don't want a day off school? It might be something to do with that. Or...' he left it hanging in the air. Or something to do with your mother. 

'I'll be fine Dad. School helps me forget. And I might get too far behind in my studies.' Which was partly true, I needed all the school time I could get. Being an Animorph was cool and all, we were the Earth's only hope, but it was hell for grades. 

'Maybe you shouldn't forget. If you can remember what you dreamt it might help.' 

I didn't say anything. There wasn't anything I could say to that. I finished the cocoa amazingly and stood up. 'G'night Dad. Thanks again.' I said and went to wash my mug. 

'I'll do that son.' 

I nodded wearily and went back to bed. I lay there a while, just thinking. These nightmares had been going on for a while. About a week. The only one I could remember had been about Mum. 

...Ramming her off the cliff... 

The rest were a blank. Even the tiniest detail escaped me. But they scared me. They haunted and chilled me like an avenging dog. 

For some reason the idea of an avenging dog followed me into my sleep. I didn't have anymore nightmares that night... only the image of a large dog... 

*** Rachel *** 

School. Home of the criminally insane, the intellectually bright, the sporting super-stars, the beautiful blondes, and the nobodies. Oops. I forgot the "warrior heroes who have to save the Earth again and again but aren't actually going anywhere." 

I used to be in a lot of those categories. I'm blonde, but not stupid, and I'm definitely not a nobody. I'm a hero. I kick alien butt. But it's on days like this one that I'd trade it all in. The morphing ability, the danger, the life- defying stunts, the adrenaline, the excitement... 

I'd trade it all in for my old life. 

In my old life, I would have actually done my homework, which had been given out a month ago. In my old life I wouldn't have gone to the head-of-year's office. In my old life I wouldn't have been worried that the head-of-year was sick and that the vice-principle would see me. 

Chapman. 

I sat on the bench, straight and tall. No slouching for me. A guy I knew from in my phys ed class walked past, from an orthodontist appointment, and sniggered at me. It took all my self- discipline not to morph into the elephant and squash him. 

It suddenly dawned on me I should come up with an excuse. I couldn't very well say "Sorry but I kinda had to plan and tackle an assault on the Yeerk pool, hey I think I saw you there too, didn't you spot me, all pretty in scales and wings?" 

'Ahh... Rachel isn't it?' 

I looked up, and saw Chapman. He was leaning around the door, and smiling that you're-in-trouble-again-young-lady smile. Well. The Yeerk was leaning around the door and smiling. 

I nodded. 'Yes Mr. Chapman.' 

'Good. Come in please.' 

He disappeared into the office and I followed. I sat opposite him in a small plastic chair. I squirmed in it until I was comfortable then looked up at him. 

'Hmm. Ms Finch is rather disappointed in you, Rachel. You know why I gather?' 

'Yes.' 

'A month. Really Rachel. You had 30 days. Is it that hard to fit homework into your busy schedule?' 

I bit my lip, but came up with a reasonable excuse, or so I thought. 'Well I thought my father was coming over, and I got so excited about it I guess I forgot. Then he didn't come and I was a bit angry, so I did forget.' 

He shook his head briskly. 'I know the real reason, young lady.' 

My heart skipped a beat. 'What?' I challenged, my voice only cracking a bit. 

'We do have a few tables at the Yeerk pool. You could have done it there, Andalite Bandit.' 

I froze. I couldn't move. I should have been able to move, to yell or argue, but maybe there was some sort of tranquilliser... He knew! How? 

'Rachel?' 

The vision shattered and I looked up. I was outside the office again, looking up at Chapman. 

What had just happened? Chapman had known... and was about to... 

'Are you allright Rachel? You look tired. And you just dozed off there. Are you getting enough sleep at home?' 

Aha! It had all been a dream. A realistic dream though. But a dream. I blinked a few more times, trying to discern what was real and what wasn't. 'Um I'm fine Mr. Chapman. Just the heat maybe?' I tried to sound strong, but who knows? 

'Rachel, either go to the nurse or go home. It has been hot, but you're not the type to... have you been eating enough? Too much exercise? Rachel?' 

'I think I will go home... everything is rather... dizzy...' 

'Well perhaps at home you'll feel well enough to tackle your homework. Now...' he trailed off and looked up and down the corridors. 'I'll be right back.' He said, and strolled off. He returned a while later with Jake and Cassie tagging behind him, looking quite displaced. 

'Right. You two can take Rachel home, as she's not feeling well, and then you can return after you've made sure she's settled. Understood? Oh. And maybe you can finish your homework?' 

We nodded, and Chapman disappeared. Jake and Cassie deflated. 

'I thought he was gonna take us to the Pool! When he asked us if we knew you... and he just charged into the room and came straight up to us, didn't even tell us why!' Jake explained quickly, and started to help me up. 

Cassie nodded and together they got me steady. 'What happened to you?' She asked. 

I tried to explain my daydream, but it was already fuzzy. I gave up entirely. 'Well. I fell asleep and had this... dream?... and it was... well I can't really remember but I didn't like it. And... my head is spinning... hey whats the matter?' 

They had stopped, eyes wide and mouths hanging slightly open. Their faces were pale, and Cassie looked near shaking. 

'Cassie?' 

'Nightmares? Have you been having nightmares?' she asked me, her voice tinged with anxiety and urgency. 

I nodded slowly as we passed the hallway leading to the cafeteria. We "walked" along in silence for a while, lost in our own thoughts. It was when we got outside the school, after packing my stuff for home, that Jake said anything. He scanned the skies unconsciously and must have finally decided something, because his step was suddenly urgent. 

'We're going to pay a visit to Ax. Act normal. Can you see Tobias?' 

'No. Didn't he say he was going to be checking out the new buildings?' 

'Damn that's right. Oh well. Ax'll be enough. Come on. Rachel do you feel up to it?' 

'Yeah. I feel a lot better now...' And it was true, I didn't feel so sick. The farther we went from the school, the better I felt. 

Except for the nagging thought about something I couldn't remember, but knew I should remember, as it was important for some reason... 

*** Jake *** 

We went inside Rachel's house, then one by one left in various morphs. Cassie as an osprey, Rachel as a cat, and me as a dog. 

[Cassie you really need a more inconspicuous morph.] I heard Rachel "say". 

[We need eyes in the sky. And I don't see Tobias around.] 

[Well can you see anything?] 

[No one's following either of you. But... JAKE CAR!!!!] 

I heard it at the same instant Cassie yelled it. The beeping filled my ears, the screeching and braking stunning me, frozen in the middle of the road... The car loomed in my sight... getting bigger and bigger... filling my view... blocking out everything... 

*** Cassie *** 

My eyes. My beautiful, telescopic, wonderful osprey eyes. Nothing escapes them. Nothing. Not even the sight of a '76 Cadillac about to... run... down... 

[What?!?!?!] 

Just as the car had touched Jake, it had vanished. He was left tight, preparing for the worst... that never happened. I looked around, trying to see where the car might have gotten to... but I didn't see it. 

[Jake.] I said, trying to sound calm. [The car's gone. I don't even know if there was a car. Maybe it was some sort of daydream... like Rachel had?] 

[It felt rather real!] he argued. [I could feel the windblast from it, hear the stereo...] 

[Well whatever happened, move! A real car is coming!!!] 

The dog scampered off the road and into a few bushes. A car... a '76 Cadillac... went right past the spot where Jake had been... 

[Okay this is just too weird.] 

[What is it Cassie?] Rachel asked. 

[I don't know. I think we should get to Ax fast, though...] 

[MmHmm. Lets go people and try not to look too suspicious.] Jake ordered. We all agreed and moved as quickly as we could without raising eyebrows. I reached the woods first, and headed towards Ax's scoop. 

He had the television on, and The Brady Bunch was playing. The one where Jan's nose gets hurt. I approached him quietly, but not so silently he would take me for an intruder. He turned his stalk eyes towards me and relaxed a bit. 

[Cassie? Marco?] he inquired, knowing Marco and I had the same bird morph. 

[It's Cassie. Marco's still at school. I think.] 

[Why aren't you at your centre of learning?] 

I didn't answer immediately. Instead I demorphed and sat on the couch Ax had set up. I waited for the others to turn up, and they did. First Rachel, in her tomcat, then Jake. They demorphed too and sat on the couch with me. 

[What is the problem?] Ax asked, turning all his eyes towards us. 

'Ax. Do the Yeerks have the technology to send nightmares, or illusions?' Jake said, getting right to the point. 

[The last time I heard, they did not. But... they may have developed a new technology, or improved an old one to suit the function of...] he stared at our blank faces and corrected himself. [They might have made something new to make nightmares, yes.] 

'Great.' Rachel muttered. 'Now our nightmares are going to go up a notch.' 

[If the Yeerks have indeed created such technology... then surely Eric the Chee would know something about it?] 

Jake nodded. 'Who's up for some flying?' 

'What about school? Chapman's going to chuck a psych if you two don't go back! If you skip school... and something happens just hours after you leave...' Rachel warned, sounding somewhat like Marco. 'And if they have got a nightmare machine, it would be better if ALL of us went, to who knows where.' 

[She is correct Prince Jake. The Yeerks would surely suspect something.] 

'Don't call me Prince Jake.' 

[Of course not Prince Jake.] 

Jake stood up and nodded to me. I got up and asked Rachel if she'd be alright. She said of course she'd be alright and anyway she's coming with us so why the concern? 

*** Jake *** 

It was a worry. If the Yeerks did have a nightmare machine... and the ability to project them during the day... How could we tell what was real? The nightmares which actually came during the night were all right, in a twisted sort of way, because we were asleep and we usually have nightmares about the Yeerks, and our battles. What was most unsettling was not the fact that they were so life-like, but that these nightmares had nothing to do with our battles. At least, I thought so. 

None of us could remember the dreams exactly, or in any detail. As soon as we woke, cold in terror and wet with fear, we would start to forget them. 

And we all had them. Sure, none of us had admitted it until this afternoon, but it was obvious. 

Marco with his pale face and withdrawn eyes, lacking sleep and losing sanity. He was trying to stay cheerful, but... 

Rachel with her wild ideas and sudden lapses into anger, even when no one had ignited her fuse. She was becoming nervous, as tight as a coiled string... 

Cassie with her flushed cheeks and faltering gaze. She couldn't look any of us in the eye anymore. And if she did... 

Tobias with his wide-flung "missions". He would take any mission we gave him, as long as it got him far away from us... 

Ax seemed to be the only unaffected one. Maybe his Andalite blood protected him, or because he hid in the woods. But the Yeerks would be aiming for Andalites... wouldn't they?... and Tobias was in the woods too... 

And then there was me. I didn't know what symptoms I was showing, but surely I was. I could only hope I looked strong. As the leader... 

I inwardly sighed. Who knew what was going on anymore? Were we winning? Close to it? Or so in the losing side we should give up to avoid further loses? Were the Andalites still on their way? Had they ever been on their way? Or... 

Stop thinking like that Jake. My inner self said. You've gotten through worse then this. You can get through this too... 

I was supposed to be the leader. Prince Jake. I was supposed to be strong, and lead my people. Who was I kidding? I had no idea what was happening. 

I only hoped I could figure it out before the nightmares became real. 

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** The rest is coming. I promise. When I can get on a computer for a long enough time... 

Any help? (more) death threats? Sarcastic comments about my mental wellbeing? Heh e-mail me at shape_changer13@yahoo.com . I don't care what you say, cos I can say worse... ^-^ 

Thanks. CJ. 


End file.
